Improvement in projectiles for ordnance



G. W. STAFFORD.

, Projeotile. Nf. 37.507 Patented Jan. 2T, 1863v Min ewes.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W'. STAFFORD, 0F BURLINGTON, IO\V A. IMPRQVEMENI I PROJECTILESFOR ORDNANCE.

Speeilication forming part ef Letters Patent No. 37,557, d'aiwl January27, 18133.

'To all whom, it may concern.- in its transverse section, vto preventthe disk Be it known that I, CHARLES W. STAFFORD, turning thereon.

of Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and It will be apparent thatthe cap C performs State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful threefunctions, to wit: holding the rear end Improvement in Projectilesfand Ido hereby. of the wooden casing, supporting and guiding declare thefollowingto be a full and exact dethe fear end of the projectile wit-hinthe bore,

scription of the same, reference being had to and constituting the meansfor the attachment the accompanying drawings, making part of of thepacking-disk D. i this specification, in which-.- represents a body ofhemp, candle-wick- Figure 1 is a pei` pective view of a shell, iling, orother fibrous material, thoroughly satlustrating' my invention. Fig.2isalongitudurated with a composition of tallow, blackinal section of thesame. Fig. 3is a longitudlead, and sulphur, which, when compressed inalsection of a shot, illustrating a modiiicabetween the disk D and cap C,expands radition of the same invention. fally on all sides, so as toassist in closing the Similar letters of reference indicate cor(windage. The composition named is likewise sponding parts in the severalgnres. very beneficial in lubricating the bore: and pre-l ypresentinvention relates to what are techventing heating and scaling.

nically known as sub-caliber shot or shells; In the illustration givenin Fig. 2 the cap C and it consists, rst, in the combination of acasalso constitutes the means of closing the orifice ing of wood orotherligyht material,with an inner through which the chamber of theshell is or main body, which may be formed of or faced charged withexplosive material, for which withwrought-iron or steel, as will behereinpurpose the said cap is formed with a projec- 'after more fullydescribed; second, in a rear tion, d, adapted to screw into the chamber,as cap of peculiar construction, serving both as shown, the thread beingformed in the reverse.

and 3.

a packing device and as a means of holding direction. to the spiral ofthe lands or riflet-he wooden casing before referred to; third, ingrooves 1n the gun with which the projectile a front cap ofpeculiarconstruction, for eiectis to be used. The charge is contained ina ing the explosion of a shell at any desired pesheet-metal casing, E,which casing-s may be riod durin'g the penetration of an opposingcarried in caissons and inserted in the shells body. when-required foruse. The explosive matter To enable others skilled in the art to whichis thus contained in small compass and adaptmy invention appertains tofully understand ed to be-carried in the vmost compact manner, and usethe same, I-will proceed to describe so as avoid danger as far aspossible. its construction and operation. The cap C may be attached to asolid shot The inner portion or main body, A, of the by fitting it overa stem, a', and securing it by shot o r shell is a cylindrical bolt,which may wedges c", as represented in'Fig. 3, or by upbe `made ofcast-steel, and, if desired for opersetting or riveting the stem in therear of the ating against metallic armor, is formedwith cap. a coucweface, a, as represented in Figs. 2 Fis a nipple secured in an obliqueposition in the side of the shell.

B is a casing of wood or other light material, G is a hollow conical capformed with an surrounding the bolt A. The said casing exaperture whichfits the bolt A, so that the cap tends' from the rear end of the bolt Anearly may turn freely thereon. The rear end of the to its front, andhas a periphery of cylindrical said cap is threaded and fits over thefront end form to fit the bore of the gun. v of the wooden casing, asshown in Fig. 2. In

C is a malleable-iron cap fitting over the the case of asolid shot, theforward end of the rear end of the casing B, as clearly shown in woodencasing may be held byasimple metal- Figs. 2 and 3. lic band, G,as shownin Fig. 3.

D is a cupshaped annular disk, of copper Theoperation of the shellis asfollows: The or other soft metal, tting over-a projection, shell beingcharged and prepared, as shown c, upon the rear face of the cap C, whichpro-k in Fig. '2, with the-cap G adjusted to a suit- `)ection is made ofangular or irregular form able position in respect to the nipple, isready 'percussion-cap.

` the shell, a very high velocit-y is produced, as

is well known to be the case with sub-caliber p rojeetiles. On strikingany resisting surfacesuoli as metal armor-thc small diameter of the boltA causes its concave cutting end a to enter with greater freedom, and itpasses in until the front of the cap reaches lthe surface of the armor,when the continued momentum kot' the bolt carries it ihrough the cap,the casing B being,r crushed and the percussion-cap upon the nipple l"driven against the oblique vinner surface, g, ol' the cap, the angle ofwhich is such as to strike evenly upon the top of the After having doneits' work .in communicating fire to the exploding-charge within theshell, the nipple Fis crushed in passing through the cap Gr, and theb'olt is carried by Vits momentum intoA and through the armor, and atthe same instant exploded therein.

The nipple F maybe placed in any suitable position to effect theexplosion of the shell at any period or degree of penetration.

'Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A sub-caliber shot or shell formed with a eutting-faee of iron orsteel, and surrounded with a cylindrical casing of wood or other lightmaterial, adapted to t the bore ofthe gun, and formed, applied, andsecured in any manner substantially as herein set forth.

2. The cap C, employed, in the manner described, to secure the rear endof the casing B, support and guide the rear end of the projectile withinthe bore, and aord means for the attachment of the packing-ring D.

3.v rI'he cap G, employed, in the manner described, to secure theforward end of the eas ing 13, support and guide the front of theprojectile within the bore, and e'eet thevexplosion of the charge byresistance against the si'irfaee of a body penetrated by the bolt e. W.STAFFORD.

fitnessem CHARLES SMITH, Uno. MAY POWELL.

